Means for mechanical indexing



A. R.,FEBGUSSON.

MEANS FOR MECHANICAL INDEXING. APPLICATION man N0 V. 17. 1919.

1,367,311. Patented Feb. 1,1921.

using the system may have as many in use.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALAN BOBB EERGUSSON, OF WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

MEANS FOR MECHANICAL INDEXING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

Application filed November 17,1915. Serial No. 338,663.

5:" 0 all whom may concern Be it known that I, ALAN B. FnnoUssoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilmington, in the county oi? New Hanover and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Mechanical Indexing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved means for mechanically indexing, the object thereof being to provide an inexpensive, simple and eflicient means of translating a name into a number without the use of a typewriter, and one which can be easily constructed oi celluloid, fiber or metal, of a size that can be easily carried in the pocket if desired or of a size that may be readily hung near a filing cabinet.

In View of the simple and inexpensive manner in which the same is made, any office as is necessary, so that a clerk at his desk may quickly determine a names number or the device may be made so small that it may be readily carried in the pocket and used as a means for obtaining a telephone number when such a system is used by telephone companies to replace the phone book or which may be carried in the pocket of a military officer to determine the number of a soldier, where this system is used for army registration, by insurance companies to identity names 01 policy holders and by tax offices for automobile licenses, etc, and ultimately it the system came generally into use to have a certain 1111111i36-3I permanently identified with every name whereby, as it were, practically every name in the world would be numerically indexed.

The present improvement is an improve ment over my prior Patents 1,205,180 dated, November 21, 1916 and 1,270,934: dated July 2,1918, wherein the use of a typewriter or similar machine is essential inorder to mechanically indexa name and over my prior Patent 1,234,320 dated July 24, 1917, which required the use of certain elements entirely unnecessary in the present improvement.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this S1360lfiCi1t1011,F1gHIG l is a face view of the present improved mechanlcal means; Fig. 2 is a rear View thereof;

. Fig. 3 is a View of one side of one of the rotary disks and Fig. 4 is a view of the opposite side thereof. Similar characters of reference indicate adjacent to the edge of the disk.

corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the present improvement, a suitable card or supporting member 2 is provided having in one edge thereof a plurality or series oil? notches 3, which notches correspond in number to the number of rotary disks which may be used. Pivotally positioned on the supporting member is a plurality or a series of rotary disks 4, some of which, as 5, two in the present instance, are shown superimposed upon others whereby the length of the device is materially shortened. Each of these disks carries upon its face 6 the letterso'l the alphabet running in the present instance from A to Y, the letter K being omitted in the present instance, although this is not necessary. Each disk is lettered the same, the lettering being located In the presentinstance five of these disks 4 are shown pivotally supported upon its base 2 in such manner that each letter of every disk may be brought adjacent to one of the notches of the supporting base. Each disk is provided on its opposite side 7 with a pluralityoi' sets of numbers. In the present instance each disk has two sets of numbers, each running from one to nine, and also an additional set of numbers running from one to six, making twenty-four numbers in all, each number corresponding with letter of the alphabet.

In other words, taking the right-hand iiislrin Fig. 1, it will be observed that the letter A when reversed, corresponds with the figure 1; the letter Y corresponds withthe figure 2; the letter W with the figure 3; the letter V withthe figure 4; the letter U with the figure, 5; the letter T with the figure 6; theletter S with the figure 7 the letter R with the figure 8; the letter Q with the figure 9, and in turn the letter P with the figure land so on. By means of this arrangement of letters and figures it will be observed (seefFig 1) that when the letter S oi the right-hand disk is brought opposite the notch, the letter M of the next disk is brought opposite its notch, andthe letter does away With the impractical, slow method 7 of using a chart and memory, or Writing down the numbers, and also the use of a typewriter, such as disclosed in the patents hereinbefore referred to. The device may be made of any suitable material and with any desired number. of disks. It will also be observed that it is only necessary to use the numerical digits from 1 to 9 in order to accomplish the desired result.

It Will furthermore be understood that the arrangement of the figures and numbers as shown herein is. entirely arbitrary and that other arrangements thereof may be adopted as desired, and that a greater or lesser number of disks, as hereinbefore stated, maybe used as occasion may require, and thatvsuch disks may be located closer together or farther apart as may be found most convenient and desirable in practice, the gist of the invention being. a plurality of rotatable members, each carrying a letter and also a number corresponding thereto whatever may be the arrangement of the disks, and the arrangement and location of the numbers and letters.

I claim as my invention: 7 V 1. An indexing means comprising a supporting m'emberprovided with a series of alined notches on its upper edge, a series of disks rotatablymounted on said supporting member, each diskhaving a corresponding notch "and provided With letters of the alphabet on one' side adjacent the edge and provided With numerals on the opposite side adjacent, the edge whereby a predetermined serieso ofnumbers corresponding to a predetermine'd series of letters will be simultaneously registered in said notches by the simultaneous rotation of said disks.

2. An indexing means comprising a series of disks rotatably mounted on a support, saiid disks being provided With characters on one side and numerals on the other side, each character having a predetermined number on' the opposite side of the disk whereby upon-the rotation of said disks a predetermined series of numbers will be registered at selective points,said numbers corresponding-to a predetermined series of letters.

3,.A'n indexing means comprising a series of ;disks rotatably mounted on a support,

saidisupport'.having an opening for each disk disposed above the axis of said disk and on the upper edge of said support, said disk being provided with characters on one side along the outer edge and numerals on the other side along the outer edge, each character having a predetermined number on the opposite side of the disk whereby upon the rotation of said disk a predetermined series of numbers'vvill be registered at selective points, said numbers corresponding to a predetermined series of letters.

4;. An indexing means comprising a sup porting member having a plurality of :ilined openings along one edge thereof, a plurality of disks corresponding in number with said openings pivotally supported on said supporting member. each of said disks having letters of the alphabet and numbers whereby each letter on the rotation of a disk will indicate number in a corresponding openin 5. An indexing means comprising a supporting member having a plurality of alined openings along one part thereof, a plurality of disks corresponding with said openings pivotally supported on said supporting member, each of said disks having letters of the alphabet and numbers, the numbers and letters being located at different points whereby each letter on the 'otation of a disk will indicate a predetermined number in a corresponding opening.

6. An indexing means comprising a supporting member having a plurality of alined openings along one part thereof, a plurality of disks corresponding with said openings pivotally supported on said supporting member, each of said disks having on one side letters of the alphabet and on its opposite side numbers whereby a predetermined letter on the rotation of a disk will indicate a predetermined number in a corresponding opening.

'7. An indexing means comprising a supporting member having a plurality of alined notches along one edge thereof a plurality of disks corresponding with said notches pivotally supported on said supporting member, each of said disks having on one side letters of the alphabet and on its opposite side numbers whereby upon rotation of the disks a series of numbers will be simultaneously registered in said notches corresponding to a predetermined series of numbers.

8. An indexing means comprising a supporting member provided with series of alined openings on its upper edge, a series of alined disks rotatably mounted on said supporting member, each disk having a corresponding opening located directly above its axis of rotation and having letters of the alphabet on one side adjacent the' edge, and numbers on the opposite side whereby a predetermined series of numbers till corresponding to a predetermined series of letters will be simultaneously registered in said openings upon the rotation of said disks.

9. An indexing means comprising a plurality of pivotally supported disks, each having on one side letters of the alphabet arranged in a circular row and on its opposite side adjacent the edge a circular row of numbers, each corresponding with a letter or the alphabet, said numbers running in series from one to nine, and means for sup porting said disks, said means having alined openings along one edge corresponding to the number of disks for the observation of said numbers.

10. An indexing means comprising a supporting means, a series of rotary disks pivotaliy carried by said supporting means, some oi said disks being superimposed over the edges of other of said disks, each of said disks having a circular series of letters on one side and a circular series of numbers on the opposite side, the numbers running in series not exceeding nine.

11. An indexing means comprising a supporting member, a series of five disks pivo'tally carried by said supporting means, each of a pair of said disks being superimposed over the edges of its companion disks and located in alternation therewith, each of said disks having on one face a circular series of letters and on its opposite face a circular series of numbers not exceeding nine whereby on the rotation of the several disks to spell a name, such name will be represented by a particular arrangement of number".

12. An indexing means comprising a sup porting member, a series of disks rotatably mounted. onsaid supporting member, each disk being provided with letters of the alphabet on one side and numerals on the opposite side whereby upon rotation of said disks a predetermlned arrangement of letters indicated on one side of said supporting member Wlll lndlcate a predetermined ar rangement of numerals on the opposite side.

of said supporting member.

13. An indexing means comprising a series of disks rotatably mounted on a support, said disks being provided with characters on one side and numerals 011 the opposite side, each character having a predetermined numeral on theopposite side of the disk whereby upon the rotation oi said disks a predetermined combination of numerals on one side will indicate a predetermined combination of characters on the opposite side.

14. An indexing means comprising a supporting member, a series of alined disks rotatably mounted on said supporting member, each disk being provided with characters on one side adjacent the edge, and charactors n the opposite side adjacent the edge whereby upon the rotation of said disks a predetermined arrangement or characters on one side of said supporting member will indicate a predetermined arrangement or characters 011 the opposite side of said supporting member.

15. An indexing means comprising a sup porting member provided with a series of openings on one part, a series of alined disks rotatably mounted on said supporting member, each disk having a corresponding opening and provided with characters on one side, and characters on the opposite side whereby upon the selective rotation of said disks a predetermined combination of charactors on one side of said supporting member will indicate a predetermined combination oi" characters on the opposite side of said supporting member, each character being registered in a corresponding opening on said supporting member.

Signed at WVilmington, in the county of New Hanover and State of North Carolina, this 27th day of Se tember, 1919.

ALAN OBB FERGUSSON. 

